Valve



March 2l, 1950 v M. CASERTA 2,501,121

VALVE Filed Aug. 8, 1945 Patented Mar. 21, 195()A UNITED'ISTATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE Michele Caserta, Detroit, Mich.

Application August 8, 1945, Serial No. 609,553

2 Claims. l

This invention relates to a valve and more particularly to a relief valve assembly for use in pumps or other fluid transfer devices.

According to the present invention, the relief valve structure is so designed and arranged as to insure proper seating of the relief valve disk or ring ,when the valve is freefto close, regardless of whether the associated part of the relief valve structure is properly aligned or slightly "cocked. This result is accomplished through the use of cooperating surfaces capable of permitting relative tilting movement betweenA the associated parts of the valve assembly.

The relief valve assembly of my present invention is thus so constructed as to eliminate the necessity of extremely close tolerances in the dimensions of the associated parts.

It is therefore an important object of my invention to provide a novel and improved relief valve construction whereby ease, certainty and sensitivity-of operation are assured, and any danger of the relief valve being improperly or incompletely seated upon closing of the valve is eliminated.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide a simple, yet rugged construction of valve that is easy to manufacture and that performs satisfactorily under high speed operating conditions with a minimum of wear upon the parts and therefore a long life of usefulness.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specication and the accompanying drawings,

On the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a pump and valve assembly embodying the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line Il-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified form of my invention for use in a valve and pump assembly similar to that of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a. fragmentary sectional view of a further modified form of my invention lfor use in a somewhat different form of valve and pump ing I2 mounted thereon, and a valve housing 55 2 cover I3 secured to said housing l2 and to the pump'casing I I by means of bolts I4. The pump here illustrated is of the rotary vane type, the bore of the pump casing II being provided with a liner I5, within which a rotor I6 is adapted to be driven. The pump casing II is provided with an intake I1 and with an outlet I8 for connecting the pump in a fuel line to an engine, or to any other po-int to which fuel is to be delivered. Internally, the pump casing is divided by a transverse partition I9, on the intake side of which is formed a port 20 and on the outlet side of which is formed a port 2|, both of which are in flow communication with interior lpassages 22 and 23, respectively, of the valve housing I2.

Said valve housing I2 is formed with an axially concentric, annular partition 24, which, as best shown in Figure 2. is integrally cast with the valve housing I2, to which it is connected by diametrally opposed vertical web portions 25 and 26. A horizontally extending web 21 connects said pump housing to somewhat more than onehalf of the periphery of said annular partition on the outlet side of said housing to provide an upper chamber 28, between which and the passage 23 is a port 29 dened by the upper edge of the vertical partition 24 and the cooperating portion of the horizontal partition 21. Said port 29 is provided with an upper, plane seating surface 30.

The relief vand vby-pass valve assembly com prises a cylindrical rod or stem 3l mounted coaxially with respect to the port 29 for movement therein. Said stem 3| has attached thereto a collar 32, as by means of a pin 33 that passes through the collar and stem intermediate the length of the stem. The lower end of the collar 32 is provided with a segmental spherical surface 34 for a purpose that will later appear. A disk 35 is secured to the lower end of the stem 3l, as by means of a nut 36, and is received within a cylindrical bore 31 formed in the lower end of the annular partition 2l. Said disk 35 fits relatively snugly within the cylindrical bore 31 to afford a dash-pot action that serves to dampen its periphery to seat upon the seating surface 30.

Said relief valve disk 39 is provided with a bore 4I of slightly larger diameter than the external diameter of. the stem 3l, thereby providing a clearance that permits relative angular movement between the relief valve disk and the stem. Said relief valve disk 39 is further provided about the bore 4I with a segmental spherical surface 42 for cooperation with the segmental spherical surface 34 to permit relative tilting movement of the relief valve disk 39 and the stem 3|. By virtue of this relative tilting movement, as will hereafter he explained, the forces tending to seat the relief valve disk 39 are resolved into coaxial components only, thereby insuring proper seating between the plane surfaces 39 and 40.

The relief valve disk 39 is provided with a plurality of openings 43 arranged in a circle to provide a passage through said relief valve disk to by-pass the pump when the rotor I6 is not operating. This by-passage is normally closed by a by-pass valve 44 mounted upon the stem 3l beneath said relief valve disk 39 and normally held against the underside of said relief valve disk by a coiled spring 45 held under compression between the disk 35 and the underside of the by-pass valve 44. Said by-pass disk 44 is provided on its upper surface with an annular groove 46 forming inner and outer annular plane seating surfaces 41 and 43 adapted to seat against the undering surface 49 of said relief valve disk 39. The by-pass disk 44, therefore, normally closes the passage provided by the openings 43 and uncovers the passages only when the pressure is greater' on the intake side of the pump than on the discharge side, a condition that would occur only when the pump is not running.

A disk 49 is mounted upon the upper end of the stem 3i for movement with said stem. Said disk 49 fits snugly within a cylindrical bore 50 formed within the upper wall of the valve housing I2. Accordingly, the disk 49 in cooperation with the cylindrical bore 59 serves as a guide for the upper end of the stem 3 I, while the lower disk 35 within the Ycylindrical bore 31 serves as a guide for the lower end of said stem 3| to maintain the stem always in vertical alignment.

The cover I3 houses pressure regulating mechanisms, which will now be described. A flexible diaphragm I is clamped about its periphery between the lower anged end 52 of said cover I3 and the upper wall 54 of the valve housing I2. Said diaphragm 5I may suitably be formed of a natural or synthetic rubber composition and is preferably molded with an annular corrugation 55 adapted to lie just inside of the clamping surfaces of the lower flanged portion 52 and the upper valve housing wall 54. Said diaphragm 5I is further provided with a central, frusta-conical portion 56 that is adapted to conform with a similarly contoured central portion 51 formed on the disk 49.

The top wall of the cover I3 is provided with A a central threaded opening 66. A relief pressure regulating mechanism is housed within said cover I3 and comprises a pressure adjusting member 66 having an upper threaded end 61 extending through said threaded opening 65. An upper projecting portion of said pressure adjusting member 66 is provided with an external nut 68 for holding said pressure adjusting member in the desired position. Beneath the upper threaded end 61, the pressure adjustment member 66 is provided with an integrally formed annular enlargement or collar 69, between which and the under side of the top wall of the cap I3 is positioned a sealing gasket 19. Said pressure adjustment member 66 is further provided with a reduced portion 1I, positioned immediately below the collar 69, for receiving a flanged nut washer 12. Said nut washer 12 is provided with a threaded bore for engagement with the threaded portion of said pressure adjusting member 93 for axial movement therealong. The lower sur face of said nut washer 12 is provided-with a segmental spherical portion 14 for cooperation with a similar segmental spherical bearing surface formed on a spring retaining washer 1l.

Said washer 15, which may suitably be formed from a metal stamping, is provided with an upper outer annular flange 19, which is recessed. as at 11, at diametrically spaced points about its periphery for receiving vertical guiding ribs 13 that are formed on the inner wall of the cover I3. The washer 14 is thus prevented by the interengagement of the ribs 13 in the recesses 11 from turning movement as the pressure adjustment member 66 is turned.

A relatively heavy coiled spring 19 is positioned coaxially about the pressure adjustment member 66 with its upper turn bearing against the annular flange 19 of said washer 16. The lower end of the spring 19 bears against a bottom washer 89 having an upwardly turned peripheral flange 9i for receiving said bottom turn of the spring 19. An inner oppositely coiled spring l2 is similarly held under compression between the upper washer 15 and the lower washer 39, with respective end turns of said spring positioned in grooves 94 and 85 formed for the purpose in said washers.

The upper disk washer 15 is provided with upwardly struck ears 96 which extend into peripheral slots 91 formed in the nut washer 12. Thus, the nut washer 12 is held against relative rotation and isconned to axial movement along the threaded adjusting member 66 when the latter is turned, as by means of a screw driver inserted into the kerf 99 in its upper projecting end 99.

The lower disk washer 99 is provided with an upwardly convex, segmental spherical central portion 99. A second bottom washer 9i is positioned beneath said lower disk washer 99 and over the flexible diaphragm 5I. Said second bottom washer 9i has a central portion 92 that conforms with the segmental spherical portion 99 on the lower washer 89 to provide for relative swiveling and tilting movements therebetween. By reason of this arrangement only the axial components of the compression forces of the springs 82 and 19 are transmitted through the washers 89 and 9i, and the diaphragm 5I, to the disk 49. Any tendency of the springs 19 and 82 to become cocked, or to exert torsional forces during compression or expansion, is compensated for by the provision of the upper and lower spherical seats for the upper and lower washers 15 and 99, respectively. By reason of this construction, therefore, the pressure adjustment member 66 can be so adjusted as to give the desired amount of pressure upon the relief valve with the certain knowledge that the relief valve will remain closed l until that amount of pressure is exceeded.

In assembling the valve housing I2 upon the pump casing II, a gasket 93 is inserted between the adjacent surfaces on the housing and casing to provide a seal therebetween. Said gasket also serves to provide a seal between the under surface of the annular partition 24 and the upper surface of the partition I9 in the pump casing I I.

In normal operation, the pump rotor I6 takes fluid in through the intake I1 and discharges it through the outlet I9. The amount of compression impressed upon the springs 19 and 82 by the adjustment of the pressure adjusting member Il determines the pressure at the outlet side of the rotor I6. When that pressure is exceeded, fluid at the outlet side of said rotor passes from the chamber 2| upwardly into the vertical passage 23 against the under side 40 of the annular relief valve ring 39, thereby causing said ring to be lifted from its seat 30. Upward movement of the relief valve ring 39, acting through the collar 32 and upper disk 49, causes an upward movement of the diaphragm 5| and associated washers 9| and 80 against the compressing forces of the springs 19 and 92. The unseating of the annular relief valve 39 provides a flow passage for fluid from the delivery side of the pump into the upper chamber 28 and then to the intake side of the pump through the passages 22 and 20. The pressure on the outlet side of the rotor I6 is thus relieved until a pressure below that for which the regulating mechanism is set is again reached, whereupon the relief valve ring 39 is caused to seat again under the action of the springs 19 and 82, as exerted through the diaphragm 5| and the washers 80 and 9|.

In the event that the rotor i5 ceases to be driven and it is desired to by-pass fluid through the pump and valve assembly, any uid under pressure entering the intake port I1 will flow upwardly through the passages 20, 22 into the upper chamber 28 and downwardly through the openings 43 to exert pressure against the by-pass disk 44, unseating said disk against the light spring action of the coiled spring 45. The fluid will then continue to iiow downwardly through the passages 23 and 2| into the outlet I8 of the pump. Since the spring 45 is very light indeed, the amount of fluid pressure necessary to unseat the by-pass valve disk 44 from seating relationship with the under surface 40 of the relief valve ring 39 is almost negligible. Only a slight amount of downward displacement of the by-pass disk 44 is suflicient to provide an opening of comparatively large area, through which uid may flow.

past said by-pass disk 44 to the outlet side of the pump.

As previously described, the provision of the segmental spherical surfaces 34 and 42 on the collar 32 and relief valve disk 39, respectively, in

conjunction with the clearance 4| between said relief valve disk and the stem 3|, permits said relief valve disk 39 to seat squarely upon the seating surface 30 surrounding the port 29, regardless of any slight cocking or misalignment of the stem 3|. This is an important feature that insures quick closing of the relief valve and prevents undesirable leakage through the port 29.

In the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figure 3, there is shown a valve housing |00 having a general similarity to the valve housing i2, and adapted to be positioned between a pump casing |0| and a cover |02 for housing the pressure regulating mechanism (not shown). A diaphragm |03 is clamped at its periphery between the lower end of said cover |02 and the upper surface of the valve housing |00. It will be understood that a pressure regulating mechanism similar in principle to that illustrated in Figure 1 serves to impress the desired amount of downward pressure upon the central portion of the diaphragm |03.

The valve housing |00 is provided with an upwardly extending intake passage |04 and a downwardly extending outlet passage |05, between which is provided a port |06 having a peripheral plane seating surface |01. Said valve housing lll is also provided with a coaxial lower cylindrical well portion lll.

The relief valve assembly illustrated in Figure 3 comprises a cup-shaped member |09, which may suitably be formed from a stamping, having a lower closed cylindrical end i0 snuglynttin-g into the lower well |00, and an upper annular flange slidably fitting into an upper cylindrical bore ||2. The peripheral ilange and the lower cylindrical portion ||l serve as guides for the axial movement of the valve member |09. Said cup-shaped valve member |09 is provided with openings |2a in its lower cylindrical portion and with other openings ||3 in its upper cylindrical portion. A shoulder ||4 is formed between said upper and lower cylindrical portions and a ring l I5 is positioned against said shoulder. Said ring I |5 is provided with an external segmental spherical surface ||6 for cooperation with a similarly contoured surface ||1 formed in a relief valve ring Ils.

Said relief valve ring ||8 is. provided with a lower plane face ||9 for seating upon the plane surface |01 surrounding .the port |06. The provision of the segmental spherical surfaces H6 and ||1 insures a proper seating of said relief valve ring I8 upon the seating surface |01.

An inner ported valve member |20 is adapted to be positioned within the cup-shaped valve member |09 and to seat therein upon the opposite surface of the shoulder ||4. The upper surface |2| of said inner valve member |20 is in contact with the under surface of the diaphragm |03. The pressure regulating mechanism, which may be similar in principle to that already described in connection with Figures 1 and 2, thus acts through the diaphragm |03 and the inner valve member |20 to urge the reliefv valve ring ||8 into its normal seated position upon the seating surface |01.

The under surface |22 of said inner valve member |20 serves as a seat for a by-pass valve disk |23, which is spring urged thereagainst by means of a coiled spring |24 held under compression between said byfpass valve disk |23 and the bottom wall ofthe lower cylindrical portion ||0 of the cup-shaped valve |09.

The operation of the modiiied form of device illustrated in Figure 3 is, in general, similar to that described in connection with the device illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The relief valve ring` 8 is unseated when the pressure of fluid on the outlet side of the pump and in the passage |05 exceeds that for which the pressure regulating mechanism is set. The fluid then flows upwardly through the passage |05 through the opened port |06, and through the ports or openings in the cup-shaped valve member |09 and the inner valve member |20, and downwardly through the passage |04 into the intake side of the pump.

'I'he relief valve disk I I8 seats again under the action of the pressure regulating mechanism las translated through the diaphragm |03 and inner valve member I 20. In seating, the relief valve ring ||8 is free to seat squarely with uniform pressure throughout the contacting area between the seating surfaces of said ring and the seating surface |01. The provision of the spherical surfaces ||6 and I1 insures this proper seating action.

A further modified form of my invention illustrated in Figure 4 comprises a valve housing |25 having upper and lower chambers |26 and |21 with a port |28 therebetween formed by a horizontal partition |29. A passage |30 leads from the intake side of the pump to the upper chamber |28, and a passage |3| leads from the lower chamber |21 to the discharge side of the pump.A A cylindrical valve rod or stem |32 is positioned in an axial bore |33 formed in the valve housing |25 and extends upwardly through the port |28. Said rod |32 serves as a guide for a valve member 34, which is slidably mounted upon said rod |32. Said valve member I has an upper annular flange |35 adapted to bear against the under side of a diaphragm |38.

'Ihe valve member |34 is also provided intermediate its length with an annular enlargement Illa having a lower segmental spherical surface |31. A relief valve ring |38 is freely mounted upon said valve member |34 and is provided with a conformingly contoured surface |39 for cooperating with the segmental spherical surface |31. Said relief valve ring |33 is provided with a plane lower surface |40 that is adapted to seat upon the plane upper surface |4| of the partition I 29.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, theA provision of the cooperatof said port, an annular val've element movable pose to limit the patent granted hereon other- 35 wise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

with said member and adapted normally to close said port, said member and-element having associated therewith cooperating segmental spherical surfaces to permit relative tilting movement therebetween. and resilient means normally urging said surfaces into cooperative engagement and said valve element into seating relationship to close said port.

2. In a relief valve assembly, a ported casing having an intermediate annular plane shoulder deilning a port, a cup-like relief valve member of lesser diameter than said port and movable axial- 1y in said port, a ring flttedly carried by said valve member and provided with an external sezmental spherical seating surface, and a separate iloating relief valve ring having a plane surface for seating against said shoulder and having a segmental spherical surface for cooperation with said external segmental spherical surface to provide for self-alignment of'said valve in the seating movement thereof.

MICHELE CASERTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,240,682 Crompton Sept. 18, 1917 2,366,146 Martin-Hurst Dec. 26, 1944 2,375,076 Caserta May 1, 1945 

